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Do athiest think love is real?

Sonic247

Sonic247

Well-Known Member
Autodidact said:
So, as I was saying, how can I tell who is a True Christian? How do I know that you're one?
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I don't think you can know for sure, you may be able to get a good idea if you watch someone for long enough. It's really between that person and God. I don't think you would be able to dogmatically say I was a Christian: all you know about me is a couple things I've written. But I will say that God is the same no matter what I or anyone else does or says; even if I don't believe my own statement.
 
Sonic247

Sonic247

Well-Known Member
Melissa G said:
I didn't realise love was confined to Christians. Love , what is love ? part lust, part desire, part bonding, part dependence on another. Anybody can love, and anybody can just as equally hate, all are emotions arising from the brain.

Melissa G
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I don't think love is confined to Christians. However I do think love is from God (for God is love). It wouldn't be theologically correct to say God doesn't give things to people who aren't Christians. One of those things is the ability to love. What I do believe is that eternal life is a gift given in love, paid for by Christ's blood. A gift is meant to be received. I believe those who receive it are Christians. However that doesn't mean that others don't receive the other gifts God gives them or that God doesn't care about them. There is this girl i liked since grade school, in middle school I gave her a flower and she stepped on it. I think it's kind of funny looking back. Anyway she didn't accept it, but I am still fond of her now that I'm 24. She honestly doesn't have the healthiest life style and I can't stop the consequences of what she does, and she's not a Christian or anything but that doesn't mean she can't love anyone.
 
Sonic247

Sonic247

Well-Known Member
Ussually it is, if I meet an athiest it would probably be a good guess that he/she had a material explanation for the existance of everything. Evolution to explain the current world is by far the most widespread theory of creation not involving a deity.
 
Autodidact

Autodidact

Intentionally Blank
Sonic247 said:
I don't think you can know for sure, you may be able to get a good idea if you watch someone for long enough. It's really between that person and God. I don't think you would be able to dogmatically say I was a Christian: all you know about me is a couple things I've written. But I will say that God is the same no matter what I or anyone else does or says; even if I don't believe my own statement.
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O.K., so the word "Christian," is a completely useless word when used to describe another person, since there is absolutely no way to determine who is or is not a Christian?

I can't remember exactly, but isn't there a passage somewhere that says that Christians should not try to Judge whether someone else is one, or that is bad to say that someone else is not a Christian?

Approximately what percentage of people who call themselves Christian do you think actually are?
 
M

Manipulated

Pilgrim
Autodidact said:
O.K., so the word "Christian," is a completely useless word when used to describe another person, since there is absolutely no way to determine who is or is not a Christian?

I can't remember exactly, but isn't there a passage somewhere that says that Christians should not try to Judge whether someone else is one, or that is bad to say that someone else is not a Christian?

Approximately what percentage of people who call themselves Christian do you think actually are?
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It would be difficult to say what percentage are or are not christians.Its more a case of who knows Jesus Christ rather than who goes to church and fall under the title of christian.Because if a person knows Jesus,then anybody else should imediately be able to see that through the works they do and what they say.Sometimes I can see a person knows Jesus when they enter a room just by the light in and around them.Its awesome to see!Sadly I would have to say very few are devoted to Christ now days.:sad4:
 
Autodidact

Autodidact

Intentionally Blank
Manipulated said:
It would be difficult to say what percentage are or are not christians.Its more a case of who knows Jesus Christ rather than who goes to church and fall under the title of christian.Because if a person knows Jesus,then anybody else should imediately be able to see that through the works they do and what they say.Sometimes I can see a person knows Jesus when they enter a room just by the light in and around them.Its awesome to see!Sadly I would have to say very few are devoted to Christ now days.:sad4:
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How about a rough estimate? Is it closer to 1% or 99%? Less than 50%?
 
Mathematician

Mathematician

Reason, and reason again
Asexuality overcrowds a population to the point food sources may drop below demand. I believe sexuality developed from this problem. The chemical responses - lust and love - are vital for keeping our species alive. :p
 
M

Manipulated

Pilgrim
Autodidact said:
And the other >50%, are they lying, or just deluded about their own beliefs? Or something else? What I mean is, why are they claiming to be Christians when they're not?
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I suppose they are part time christians.They act like christians on sunday church time,thats what church is all about now days,acting.Its written in the bible that God wants nothing to do with luke warm believers.I stopped going to church a short while back because I hated the fact that its all about prosperity and false affection and I hate the way they use Sound systems and wide screen projectors and lighting to enhance the "christian feeling".I think its very mislead and wrong,but that doesn't alter the fact that im a believer,I am starting to think church can be damaging in ways.any thoughts?
 
Fat Old Sun

Fat Old Sun

Active Member
Despite my misgivings about religion in general, I think that you are on to something regarding church being damaging. Although I do see religion as a failed attempt to explain the unknown, I see the church's role as an even deeper perversion of the ability of religion to amass power and control over people.

If I want to see theatrics, I'll go to Broadway, or Las Vegas, or even the local planetarium for a late night Pink Floyd laser show.
 
Autodidact

Autodidact

Intentionally Blank
Manipulated said:
I suppose they are part time christians.They act like christians on sunday church time,thats what church is all about now days,acting.Its written in the bible that God wants nothing to do with luke warm believers.I stopped going to church a short while back because I hated the fact that its all about prosperity and false affection and I hate the way they use Sound systems and wide screen projectors and lighting to enhance the "christian feeling".I think its very mislead and wrong,but that doesn't alter the fact that im a believer,I am starting to think church can be damaging in ways.any thoughts?
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And the rest of the time, are they lying, or deluded?
 
Autodidact

Autodidact

Intentionally Blank
Manipulated said:
Hmm,I'm not sure if you are talking about catholic christians or other christians, In my opinion they are not the same.
Which church?
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I am talking about whomever you are talking about. You said--not me, you--that most people who call themselves Christian aren't. So my question is, if they're not Christians, and they're calling themselves Christian, are they dishonest, or just mistaken? It's not really a hard question, and I don't understand why I've had to ask it now three times.
 
G

GadFly

Active Member
Autodidact said:
O.K., so the word "Christian," is a completely useless word when used to describe another person, since there is absolutely no way to determine who is or is not a Christian?

I can't remember exactly, but isn't there a passage somewhere that says that Christians should not try to Judge whether someone else is one, or that is bad to say that someone else is not a Christian?

Approximately what percentage of people who call themselves Christian do you think actually are?
Click to expand...
This might be the wrong use of the word Christians. I think the term is only used once in the New Testament, maybe twice. Early Christians used the term believers which is more in tune with early Christian theology. The key element in telling whether one is a Christian or not whether he.she is good or bad, we have all sinned, but whether we believe in Christ's death and resurrection. That takes a lot of pressure off Christians to be fake good. Be what you are. If you have Christ in you, you'll perform better than you would without Christ. But, being good is not a criteria fro being a Christian.
GadFly
 
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